Child's Play
by kakashifangirl
Summary: Zoro has never been been good with women, nor has he cared to be. Now, one girl has changed his attitude. What will the swordsman do to win the girl's heart? Will he ever learn how to act like a man? [ZoroxNami]


Okay, since Kira was correct in pointing out that my Zoro was OOC I decided to rewrite the first chapter. I changed it to third person and reworked all dialogue, thoughts, and actions that involved Zoro. I think it is slighlty better now, though making Zoro totally IC in a romanace fiction is hard work. I would really like to thank Kira for leaving such a nice, detailed, review. I always appreciate criticism and take it into account when writing! So again, much thanks to you! I hope all newcomers enjoy the story and those who have read it before like the changes.

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Zoro was immature. He liked her, yet the only way he could show his affection was akin to how an eight year old boy behaves towards the girl he is crushing on. He simply pretended that he hated her. He constantly called her names, picked fights with her, and teased her. Really though, you can't blame him; he didn't know how else to act. Truth be told, before her, Zoro never had much interaction with girls. He'd spent his entire life training to become the world's greatest swordsman. During puberty, when he should have been chasing after the opposite gender, he was chasing after a dream, pursuing his goal.

Finally, when he was actually ready to pursue women, it was too late. Density had preordained that Roronoa Zoro never know how to woo women, never be able to show them he loved them, or know how to impress them. Even if he had been interested in learning about the birds and the bees, who would he get to instruct him in the ways of courtship? Sanji? Doubtful. While Zoro knew his approach to interacting with women wasn't likely to win him any affection, he believed the cook's ideals on the fairer gender to be far worse than his own. He would rather kill himself than take lessons from Sanji. If you ever hear Roronoa Zoro squealing, "Right away, Nami-san!" you'd know that the apocalypse was nearing.

Honestly though, aside from Sanji, no one else on the Going Merry appeared to be well versed in the area of love. The only thing Luffy seemed to be concerned about was food, it was unlikely that Usopp could ever mount the courage to speak with the object of his affections, relationship advice from a reindeer didn't seem to be a wise decision, and anyone who confided in Robin would come to rue the day. She'd definitely taunt them until she died.

So, you can see what a predicament Zoro was in. He was trapped on a ship full of imbeciles who knew less than he when it came to love.

But this is all assuming that Zoro would actually attempt to seek out help in winning Nami. Maybe it would happen. It would probably occur on the same day that Luffy informed Sanji he would like vegetables for supper instead of meat. In actuality, trying to improve his tact had never graced Zoro's mind. It wasn't something he cared about. Deep down he knew he felt differently towards Nami than any other girl, but it was nothing he concerned himself with. Training was more important. Surpassing Mihawk took precedence over Nami. Because this was true, Zoro found himself never being compelled to treat the navigator kindly. This all being said, it wasn't a surprise that Zoro never felt obliged to do Nami's work. Especially when she woke him up from a nap…

"Get up Zoro," Nami demanded. "Sanji wants to cook fish for supper so you need to catch some for us."

"Then get that idiot chef to catch them himself," the swordsman replied without opening his eyes. "He does anything you tell him to, so do me a favor and demand that he do the fishing."

Nami smacked him upside the head. "Sanji is doing all of the cooking! The least you can do is catch some damn fish for him."

Eyes still closed, Zoro smirked and shook his head. "I don't think so. Unlike that idiot chef, I don't bend to your beck and call. I don't know how you are used to things working, but in my world, if you want something done, you do it yourself."

Angrily, Nami turned on her heals and stormed off. Zoro heard her muttering curse words that he could only assume they were directed towards him. He let out a long sigh. "That stupid woman. She thinks men only exist to serve her."

"Talking to yourself isn't a very healthy habit Zoro," Robin informed the him. "Then again men in love do all sorts of crazy things."

Of course Robin's words startled the green haired boy. Love had been the furthest thing from his thoughts. Or had it? The woman's uncanny knack for attaining information which everyone else was blind to suddenly made Zoro question this own ponderings. Shrugging off the fleeting insecurity he responded, "What the hell are you talking about?"

"You tell me."

"I think that you're the crazy one."

"Maybe"

"Leave me alone. I want to get back to my nap."

"Okay, but let me leave you with some parting advice: making poor Nami do the fishing isn't a good way for you to win her over."

Not feeling the need to justify her words with a comment, Zoro remained silent and simply waited for the meddling women to retreat. She did, but not before shooting him a knowing smirk. Scoffing, the ill-tempered swordsman pointed his middle finger at her now turned back, and then closed his eyes. He took in a deep breath of the salty air and attempted to fall back into the blissful sleep he had achieved only moments before. Just as he was drifting into dreamland, a high pitched screech resounded thorough his ear drums. Before Zoro could jump up to further investigate the matter, Chopper came speeding around the corner, panting and waving his arms madly.

"Big trouble!" he spit out between his heavy breaths.

"Eh? What's the matter?" Zoro asked.

"Nami….she…fell… in the water!" the reindeer exclaimed.

"What! Where?"

All the breathless Chopper could do was point; however, this was all Zoro needed. As hastily as he could, he sped towards the direction the doctor had revealed. He looked around, searching for the spot where Nami had fallen in. With no sign of the girl anywhere he was beginning to become frantic, but suddenly he saw it: a fishing pole and some bait. Kicking off his shoes and ripping his shirt off, Zoro dove into the water.

Once underneath the surface he opened his eyes and scanned the depths for any sight of his comrade. He was starting to panic, thinking maybe he had picked the wrong spot to dive in, when he saw a flash of bright orange that was unmistakably Nami's hair. He forced his muscles to push him faster. Zoro knew he had to reach her as quickly as possible. After a few minutes, when he still hadn't caught up, he began to wonder why. That was when he noticed it: the mammoth fish that was dragging Nami along. She must have caught the beast and, unable to reel in it, been pulled into the sea. Now that Zoro looked closer it became apparent why the navigator hadn't been able to escape the fish's clutches; her arm had somehow gotten tangled in the line.

Knowing that he must swim harder in order to catch up with Nami and her captor Zoro willed his limbs to move faster, though they were almost at their limit. Just when he thought he was going to die his hand bumped into Nami's leg. He grasped it as tightly as he could and at the same time unsheathed one of his swords. Taking care not to slice off one of Nami's arms, Zoro hacked his way through the line, freeing his friend. When he had her wrapped securely in his arms he saw that she had passed out from lack of oxygen. Unwilling to let a friend die, he swam upward as quickly as humanly possible.

They soon burst up through the water. Zoro took in large breaths of air, each feeling more heavenly than the first. Nami, on the other hand, was still unconscious. With his last ounce of strength he lugged her back to the Going Merry, carefully setting her down once on board. Chopper, who had apparently been watching the whole scene, pounced on Nami the second she was aboard, thoroughly inspecting her in attempts to save her life.

"Oi, Chopper! You have to save her!" Zoro commanded.

"She needs CPR!" the doctor informed him.

"Well hurry up and give her CPR then!" the swordsman bellowed.

"You do it! I wouldn't feel right. I'm a reindeer!

"Who gives a damn? You're the doctor! You do it!"

"No, you do it!"

"No!"

"She's going to die!"

"I know! So perform CPR!"

"CPR on Nami-san?" a familiar voice asked. "I'll do it!" Sanji cried, a little too happily.

Knowing Sanji was just using the resuscitation method as a channel for his perverted ways Zoro jumped up yelling, "Like hell you will!" Without another word he began to give CPR to the cataleptic Nami. Zoro could tell his actions caused a lot of commotion amongst the crewmembers. Sanji was yelling obscenities, Luffy kept asking what was going on, Chopper was trying to help Zoro improve his CPR administering technique, Usopp was screaming that Nami was going to die, and Robin was mumbling something that sounded like "Ah, so this is why he made Nami do the fishing."

The swordsman desperately tried to block out the surrounding noise. Reviving Nami was the only thing that mattered right now. With each breath, I tried to force new life into her and along with a will to survive. He don't know if his desires reached Nami or if his CPR skills were greater than he had first believed, but after a few seconds the navigator spit out water and took a large gulp of air shortly after. Relieved that Nami was alive, and proud that he had a hand in saving her, Zoro stood up beaming.

His happiness was short lived. He felt a foot connect squarely with his jaw and before he could steady himself, a second foot sent him flying to the ground. "There's no need to kick me you asshole," Zoro growled as he picked himself up. "I was just saving her."

"She wouldn't have needed saving if you hadn't forced her to go fishing by herself, bastard," Sanji bitterly retorted. Glaring at Zoro, but deciding that he had received enough punishment, the cook turned his attentions to the now rousing Nami. Not caring to hear a slew of "Are you okay Nami-san?" Zoro stealthily slunk away, retreating to his sleeping quarters. Once he arrived at his destination, Zoro paced around the room sulkily. How was he supposed to know that Nami would do the fishing when he had refused? Wasn't he right in assuming that she would con one of the other crew members into completing the task? He couldn't be held responsible for what had happened to her, could he? Zoro forcefully shook his head, wondering why he was even bothering to rack his brain with these stupid questions. He was still convincing himself that he was not at fault when he heard the door creak open.

There she stood, the very girl Zoro had been thinking about: Nami. He didn't say anything, only looked at her expectantly. She began to advance on him, an evil glint in her eyes. Before Zoro had time to stop her, Nami had slapped him. "That's for making me do the fishing and putting me in the position to die."

Zoro opened his mouth to defend himself, but Nami placed her finger over his lips.

"This is for saving my life." Without another word she replaced the finger she had been holding over Zoro's mouth with her lips. The swordsman was surprised, but pleasantly so. He relaxed and tried to deepen the kiss, attempting to slip his tongue into Nami's mouth. Before he could progress further, the girl pulled away. She wagged her finger at him, the way one would scold a naughty child.

"I don't think so Zoro. You should know by now that things don't come cheap with me," she said, smirking. "If you want something from me, you have to earn it."

"Screw that," Zoro said, his anger rising. "I'm not your slave you wench."

Nami shrugged and grinned. "Have it your way."

But that both knew that wasn't true. Nami always had things her way.

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Review, please? Reviews inspire me to write more, and lately I need all the inpiration I can get. 


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